FITBIT is whack!!!
Replies
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What I found that worked for me was to set your calorie allowance in MFP using the TDEE method (just as you have), but change your MFP settings to maintain your current weight. Then the FitBit calorie adjustments don't transfer over, but your calories consumed in MFP do transfer over to FitBit.I've always just eaten 1800 calories regardless of whatever fitbit adjustments are made. I don't eat back the fitbit adjustment calories. I only follow the deficit MFP gave me using the TDEE method. I do have fitbit sync with MFP but just ignored the extra calories. At this point, I'm ready to unsync them and just use the fitbit as an activity tracker.0 -
I'm not 100% sure I'm reading you correctly, but I don't think you're correct.
MFP calculates an expected deficit based on your activity level+bmr and calorie goal (or sets the calorie goal based deficit; either way). When MFP adjusts for the Fitbit data, it adjusts your calorie goal to maintain the same calorie deficit.
It doesn't really matter what your MFP calorie goal/activity level settings are. What matters is the calorie deficit MFP is set to.
Go to Home -> Goals and look at the Deficit section. Adjust your MFP data to have the deficit you want, let your Fitbit sync in, and MFP will adjust on the fly according to Fitbit data to maintain that calorie deficit.
Well, the problem comes in to what is the eating goal the sync between them is causing to increase.
Say your TDEE as determined by looking at Fitbit stats is 2500 on average.
So you set your MFP eating goal to 2500 - 10% = 2250.
Now their MFP maintenance with no exercise is say 2000.
Each day on average upon sync MFP will compare that 2500 to 2000, and give a positive 500 cal adjustment to what it is using as NET eating goal, no matter the fact you are treating it as gross eating goal.
So now eating goal 2250 + 500 = 2750 eating goal.
Just wiped out your deficit.
The secret is setting MFP's non-exercise maintenance to as close to average Fitbit TDEE as possible.
Then any compares are very close, and the Gross eating goal that was set will only be adjusted up and down more often as the day truly warrants.
The other method is figure a TDEE from Fitbit on just the non-exercise days but typical daily walking and activity.
Find the MFP activity level that causes the closest match.
Set your eating goal to that non-exercise TDEE - 10%.
And sync away.
Now any adjustments that come over are all exercise or increased activity and should be eaten back.
The only negative with that latter method is the fact your increased activity is NOT getting the same 10% deficit as rest of the day does, so those bigger adjustments are missing the 10% deficit.
The former method is 10% off everything, with minor adjustments not including it.0 -
I've always just eaten 1800 calories regardless of whatever fitbit adjustments are made. I don't eat back the fitbit adjustment calories. I only follow the deficit MFP gave me using the TDEE method. I do have fitbit sync with MFP but just ignored the extra calories. At this point, I'm ready to unsync them and just use the fitbit as an activity tracker.
Wait - MFP doesn't use a TDEE method, they use a non-exercise maintenance method.
And you aren't using TDEE either then, since not accounting for adjustments.
You have a great little tool there ready to be used correctly, just need manual corrections for some activity.
Why guess at TDEE and maintenance, when that device is trying to tell you?0 -
MFP will adjust your eating goal to maintain the target deficit. Period. That's the key.0
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i walk about 12km per day.
i average about 16,000 steps per day.
12KM should be way more than 16,000 steps, I think?? :ohwell: If I run 5K, I generally have maybe 8000-9000 steps on average; I would guess 12KM is wrong or 16,0000 is too low, possibly?0 -
MFP will adjust your eating goal to maintain the target deficit. Period. That's the key.
Well, as OP stated, he adjusted the eating goal to a 10% deficit from TDEE, not block like MFP uses.
If you aren't using MFP the way it was designed, it does not work out correctly unless you make some changes.
My description above is exactly what I've seen people do, that's the reason I can use it as an example.0 -
i walk about 12km per day.
i average about 16,000 steps per day.
12KM should be way more than 16,000 steps, I think?? :ohwell: If I run 5K, I generally have maybe 8000-9000 steps on average; I would guess 12KM is wrong or 16,0000 is too low, possibly?
right now, I am at 16,700 steps and 12.94km.0 -
bump0
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I've always just eaten 1800 calories regardless of whatever fitbit adjustments are made. I don't eat back the fitbit adjustment calories. I only follow the deficit MFP gave me using the TDEE method. I do have fitbit sync with MFP but just ignored the extra calories. At this point, I'm ready to unsync them and just use the fitbit as an activity tracker.
Wait - MFP doesn't use a TDEE method, they use a non-exercise maintenance method.
And you aren't using TDEE either then, since not accounting for adjustments.
You have a great little tool there ready to be used correctly, just need manual corrections for some activity.
Why guess at TDEE and maintenance, when that device is trying to tell you?
100% agree with this... You don't need to guess anymore, FitBit is telling you your TDEE. Do you have a deficit set up in FitBit also? I have both systems set up to lose 0.5lb/week. MFP subtracted 250 cal from what it estimated my maintenance at my current activity level to set my goal. Now that my activity level has been raised to Active, MFP estimates my non-exercise maintenance to be 1935 - 250 = 1685. FitBit subtracts 250 from whatever I burn each day, including regular activity and exercise. If I don't "exercise" my FitBit Calories burned is around 2000, which is actually pretty close to what MFP estimates. When I do exercise or move a lot, my Calories Burned is more like 2200-2300 which FitBit subtracts 250 from and tells me I should be eating around 2000 calories. MFP gives me the 200-300 cal adjustment each day and I end up eating 1900-2000 cals. The two systems are usually within about 50 cals of each other at the end of each day, a negligible difference in my book, and I've been losing pretty consistently 0.5 lb/week since I got the device, set it up following good suggestions I had seen from both Jonnythan and HeyBales in another thread.
TL/DR - trust the FitBit. Eat more food. Be happy and keep losing weight.
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I have a fitbit also, and if I used the numbers it says directly I would gain weight not lose. It isn't bad but I generally do 1/2 of the bonus calories from walking. I walk about 20k steps a day during the work week and only about 5 to10k on weekends (before anyone questions I have a treadmill desk I walk at for about 4 hours a day). I think when it has the hardest time is when you are walking slow, so while walking your son you are probably not cruising along so your gain there is probably a little over exaggerated.0
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MFP will adjust your eating goal to maintain the target deficit. Period. That's the key.
Well, as OP stated, he adjusted the eating goal to a 10% deficit from TDEE, not block like MFP uses.
If you aren't using MFP the way it was designed, it does not work out correctly unless you make some changes.
My description above is exactly what I've seen people do, that's the reason I can use it as an example.
ok...i get what you're saying. i was afraid of "double-dipping" so to speak so that is why i haven't eaten back the fitbit adjustment calories. and i am fairly new to this fitbit thing (have only had it for roughly a week) so i'm still trying to work the kinks out.
anyway, this is how i was using MFP before i got the fitbit and synced everything: i set my daily caloric goal to 1800 (this is based on that in place of a road map thingy and what helloitsdan recommended). i always logged in my exercise as 1 calorie because 1800 was what i thought was TDEE. anyway...i did that for a VERY LONG TIME and lost 3lbs. but again, my goal was really only to lose 5lbs...so i figured that was fairly spot on. as they say, the less you have to lose, the smaller the deficit and the longer it takes.
fast forward to this week with my fancy schmancy new fitbit...which i have been syncing with MFP. it is now giving me fitbit calorie adjustments of anywhere from 600-800 calories. it just seemed crazy so i haven't been eating those back.
i guess i just have to align both very closely. i'm still working on that. will fiddle with it a bit more. i was just wondering how accurate it is for everyone else.0 -
I've always just eaten 1800 calories regardless of whatever fitbit adjustments are made. I don't eat back the fitbit adjustment calories. I only follow the deficit MFP gave me using the TDEE method. I do have fitbit sync with MFP but just ignored the extra calories. At this point, I'm ready to unsync them and just use the fitbit as an activity tracker.
Wait - MFP doesn't use a TDEE method, they use a non-exercise maintenance method.
And you aren't using TDEE either then, since not accounting for adjustments.
You have a great little tool there ready to be used correctly, just need manual corrections for some activity.
Why guess at TDEE and maintenance, when that device is trying to tell you?
100% agree with this... You don't need to guess anymore, FitBit is telling you your TDEE. Do you have a deficit set up in FitBit also? I have both systems set up to lose 0.5lb/week. MFP subtracted 250 cal from what it estimated my maintenance at my current activity level to set my goal. Now that my activity level has been raised to Active, MFP estimates my non-exercise maintenance to be 1935 - 250 = 1685. FitBit subtracts 250 from whatever I burn each day, including regular activity and exercise. If I don't "exercise" my FitBit Calories burned is around 2000, which is actually pretty close to what MFP estimates. When I do exercise or move a lot, my Calories Burned is more like 2200-2300 which FitBit subtracts 250 from and tells me I should be eating around 2000 calories. MFP gives me the 200-300 cal adjustment each day and I end up eating 1900-2000 cals. The two systems are usually within about 50 cals of each other at the end of each day, a negligible difference in my book, and I've been losing pretty consistently 0.5 lb/week since I got the device, set it up following good suggestions I had seen from both Jonnythan and HeyBales in another thread.
TL/DR - trust the FitBit. Eat more food. Be happy and keep losing weight.
true true...i know i know. i am going to change settings on MFP and fitbit so that the goals are aligned. but at the same time, i can also technically move into maintenance because i am not going to cry over 2 little lbs (that's all i have left to lose but i can seriously poop 2lbs...LOL...ok TMI but hey, it's true). which is also why i got the fitbit because i didn't want to over-estimate my TDEE. and yes, true, now that fitbit is practically screaming this number out at me, i know i should listen to it. and i will.0 -
Corrected for lifting - it can be very accurate.
And for you to have that much deficit in place, or it would appear, and only be losing that much, you have another problem.
Are you accurating logging foods, weighing everything? Or at least 2 weeks weighing to see how far off measuring and eyeballing can be?
If that has been accurate, I'm going for the direction of you have too great a deficit for the amount left to lose, and body has adapted down and as you've shown - you don't have the deficit it would appear you should have.
In which case Fitbit is inflating your TDEE over reality - because reality is suppressed, and Fitbit doesn't know that.
But so close to goal, just finish it off, but realize that Fitbit is not your potential maintenance, probably not for many months until your system speed back up.
When you go to maintenance, only increase calories 100 per week, and be prepared for fast water weight gain - though your body will look the same.
Also be prepared for your workouts to get a lot better. Because closer to potential maintenance, the stronger and better effect from them. And I'd suggest you've had too big a deficit and aren't getting to see true potential.0 -
Great post OP! And amazing because I was just going to log on to mfp to ask almost the same question. I'm 5'4",130lbs and got my fitbit one two weeks ago. I walk two and a bit miles to work and back. Plus on my lunch I'm generally running errands so another 2 miles there. Average at about 15k steps
My question is/ was going to be does that reasonably translate to an extra 600 calories? It seems high to me. I remember being on treadmills for what felt like hours only to burn 100 cals and then feeling awful when I learned that they overestimated burns!
By the sounds of it maybe its not unthinkable. 2-3 hours of walking is a fair amount I guess. I'm still adjusting, getting to the end of the day and realising I have 500 cals to get in me. Hurrah for chocolate/ cheese/ peanut butter!
Don't mean to hijack the post just to share that my experience has been similar, thanks for the info all!0 -
whack ... shizznack... for realz ... straight TDEE ...
Is that you, Liz Lemon?0 -
Great post OP! And amazing because I was just going to log on to mfp to ask almost the same question. I'm 5'4",130lbs and got my fitbit one two weeks ago. I walk two and a bit miles to work and back. Plus on my lunch I'm generally running errands so another 2 miles there. Average at about 15k steps
My question is/ was going to be does that reasonably translate to an extra 600 calories? It seems high to me. I remember being on treadmills for what felt like hours only to burn 100 cals and then feeling awful when I learned that they overestimated burns!
By the sounds of it maybe its not unthinkable. 2-3 hours of walking is a fair amount I guess. I'm still adjusting, getting to the end of the day and realising I have 500 cals to get in me. Hurrah for chocolate/ cheese/ peanut butter!
Don't mean to hijack the post just to share that my experience has been similar, thanks for the info all!
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html
130 lbs, 60 min, 3.6 mph, 1% incline for ups and downs/stairs, gross burn that good treadmill, HRM, or database table would give.
264 calories.
Yes, your treadmill was jacked-up.
But remember - your Fitbit adjustment on MFP is NOT just your exercise - it is an increase in your TDEE compared to what MFP thought your maintenance would be.
So it is of course the extra walking, some is likely you are more active than you told MFP about.
Like if you told MFP you are sedentary with all that walking - obviously that's not true. And those big adjustments are proof of it.
Set correctly, you'll have a more realistic goal, and can plan better with smaller adjustments and surprises end of day.0 -
Corrected for lifting - it can be very accurate.
And for you to have that much deficit in place, or it would appear, and only be losing that much, you have another problem.
Are you accurating logging foods, weighing everything? Or at least 2 weeks weighing to see how far off measuring and eyeballing can be?
If that has been accurate, I'm going for the direction of you have too great a deficit for the amount left to lose, and body has adapted down and as you've shown - you don't have the deficit it would appear you should have.
In which case Fitbit is inflating your TDEE over reality - because reality is suppressed, and Fitbit doesn't know that.
But so close to goal, just finish it off, but realize that Fitbit is not your potential maintenance, probably not for many months until your system speed back up.
When you go to maintenance, only increase calories 100 per week, and be prepared for fast water weight gain - though your body will look the same.
Also be prepared for your workouts to get a lot better. Because closer to potential maintenance, the stronger and better effect from them. And I'd suggest you've had too big a deficit and aren't getting to see true potential.
Ok...I think I have figured this out.
Fitbit is now set-up to a daily deficit of 250 calories per day based on my daily average of 2291 calories burned.
MFP is now set-up to Active and a .25kg/week loss.
So based on those numbers:
2291 calories burned from Fitbit minus 2060 MFP guidelines (set at Active, .25kg/week loss) which now gives me a Fitbit Calorie Adjustment of 231. MUCH BETTER and way more realistic! This is the 10% deficit I was looking for!
So I'll give this a whirl for the next 4-6 weeks and see how the losses go and if they go accordingly (.25kg/week). If not, will readjust. Looks like I will only have to add about 260 calories as I already eat about 1800 per day. That's really just about 2+ tbsp of peanut butter.
Thanks for the guidance!0 -
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html
130 lbs, 60 min, 3.6 mph, 1% incline for ups and downs/stairs, gross burn that good treadmill, HRM, or database table would give.
264 calories.
Yes, your treadmill was jacked-up.
But remember - your Fitbit adjustment on MFP is NOT just your exercise - it is an increase in your TDEE compared to what MFP thought your maintenance would be.
So it is of course the extra walking, some is likely you are more active than you told MFP about.
Like if you told MFP you are sedentary with all that walking - obviously that's not true. And those big adjustments are proof of it.
Set correctly, you'll have a more realistic goal, and can plan better with smaller adjustments and surprises end of day.
Just wanted to thank you for this!
In fact I had set up my profile here a while ago and back then I was pretty sedentary- I hadn't even thought about that! Since then I moved home so I can walk to work now. I only bought the fitbit last week so I'd set different weights/ goals/ activity levels on the two.
I guess these things are only as useful as you let them be- thanks for giving me the reminder I needed!
I don't mind the surprises towards the end of the day, so long as they're not overwhelming. When I sync at about 7pm, around dinner time, it never hurts to hear I have to clear a few more calories. Just enough for a slice of cheesecake. :happy:0 -
I think it sounds right. On an inactive day for me, I hit about 1900-2100 calories burned. Yesterday I hit 3000. My average is 2400. I hit 10,000 steps most days, at least. I started my weight loss the day I got my fitbit last year, and have been using it daily. I'm down about 40 pounds, so, it must not be too off.0
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i walk about 12km per day.
i average about 16,000 steps per day.
12KM should be way more than 16,000 steps, I think?? :ohwell: If I run 5K, I generally have maybe 8000-9000 steps on average; I would guess 12KM is wrong or 16,0000 is too low, possibly?
right now, I am at 16,700 steps and 12.94km.
Steps = steps made. Some might be 5 inches (as in standing in a slow moving line, or moving from one sink to the other while washing dishes), others might be 36+inches when running.0 -
How much weight do you lose eating 1600-1800 calories a day? If that is on target for you then I would ignore the fitbit.0
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So I'll give this a whirl for the next 4-6 weeks and see how the losses go and if they go accordingly (.25kg/week). If not, will readjust. Looks like I will only have to add about 260 calories as I already eat about 1800 per day. That's really just about 2+ tbsp of peanut butter.
Shouldn't it be 1 tbsp and some chocolate? Hmmm.0
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